Braking-sleigh for railway-vehicles.



No. 837,968. 1 PATENTED DEC. 11, 1906. F. SGHfiN.

BRAKING SLBIGH FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES. APPLIGATION FILED JAN.19,1906.

mlweases 0% M H: NORRIS Flrsns 50., WASHINGTON, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BRAKlNG-SLEIGHl FOR RAILWAY-VEHICLES- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 11, 1906.

Application filed January 19, 1906. Serial No. 296,836.

To 00% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANZ ScHoN, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at Linz, Upper Austria, Empire of Austria-Hungary, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Braking-Sleighs for Railway-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

Braking-sleighs for stopping runaway vehicles usually consist of drag-blocks fixed upon grooved runners connected together by means of cross-bars and placed upon the rails. Such braking-sleighs have various drawbacks, the principal of which consists in that the lateral parts of the grooved sliding runners which extend downward above the rail-heads strike against the projecting bolt heads or nuts of the fish-joints of the rails, so that the braking-sleigh is unable to fulfil its purpose to stop the railway-cars without causing any injury to the same. Furthermore, the braking-sleighs of any construction are not able to pass without hindrance over switches, crossings, &c. Another inconvenience consists in the great danger for the persons engaged in putting the brakingsleigh on the track, because these persons are obliged to cross the track during the manipulation. Finally, all known devices of this description have the great drawback of very long brakingpaths.

This invention has for its object a brakingsleigh in which all the above-mentioned drawbacks are entirely avoided, and, moreover, the hitherto unattainable advantage is obtained of permitting the adjustment of the two grooved sliding runners in the curvelines of the track. Owing to the great iric tional resistance of the improved brakingsleigh, the shortest possible braking'path can be attained, which circumstance by itself insures against accident. Besides, there are provided arrangements which permit the use of the braking-sleigh whenever necessary as a locking-barrier for the track.

The essence of the invention consists in that the exterior lateral walls of the grooved runners of the sleigh are shallow, so that they reach only to the level of the upper edge of the rails. On one or on both shortened lateral walls are arranged angle-irons projecting to the outward, said angle-irons, in connection with the shortened walls of the grooved runner, permitting the placing of the braking-sleigh upon the track from a sliding platform or stage arranged outside the track, a

stage built between the rails of the track serving during the transfer of the sleigh as a guide for the deeper interior Walls of the grooved runners.

The cross-bars are in a loose movable connection with the brake-blocks, so that when the braking-sleigh is being actuated in curved parts of the track the brake-blocks are capable 01 being displaced in the longitudinal direction relatively to each other and can adapt themselves automatically to the different lengths of the rails.

For enabling the employment of the braking-sleigh as a locking-barrier for the track it is-provided with locking-tongs, which embrace the rail-heads and gri the same. When the locking-tongs are fired in their gripping position, they will prevent the possibility of a displacement of the sleigh along the rails.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 represent a braking-sleigh according to the present invention in side and in end elevations, respectively. Fig. 3 shows the braking-sleigh employed as a locking-barrier. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the adjustment of the braking-sleigh in a curved portion of the track.

The braking-sleigh consists of two iron bands a, fixed upon two grooved runners b and connected together by means of the cross-bars c (1, one of which connects the runners 6, Whereas the other connects the stays e which support the bands (1. The latter form at one of their ends wedge-shaped tongues in order to facilitate the running up of the vehicle-wheels upon the same. The further portions of these bands, which form a continuation of the said tongues, are bent in a manner corresponding to the periphery of the wheel, so that when the pair of wheels has run up on these bands it will be lodged in the parts of the bands between the tongues and the opposite higher extremities of the bands.

The grooved runners b consist of U-iron bands, the lateral walls of which are of different depths. Between these lateral walls is fixed a filling f, made of wood and provided with an emery coating which oiiers a frictional resistance of about eighty per cent. calculated on the weight of the load. The interior lateral walls of the grooved runners extend down below the top of the rail and serve for guiding the sleigh, whereas the exterior lateral walls of the same extend only IIO down to the level of the upper edge of the rail, so that in this manner the sleigh can travel without hindrance over switches, road-crossings, &c., and, moreover, the projecting bolts of the fish-joints do not present any resistance to the passage of the sleigh. To these shorter lateral walls of the grooved runners are aflixed angle-irons 'L, projecting outward. Said angle-irons,in connection with the sliding stages 9 h, made of flat iron and arranged between the rails of the track, as well as outside of the track on one or on both sides of the same, render it possible to move the braking-sleigh from outside the track and to place it upon the rails. This isefiected in such a manner that the brakingsleigh, which is lying with the interior walls of the grooved runners upon the sta e, is laced with the angle-irons 2' upon t e rai -head, which support the sleigh before the interior wall of the grooved runner has left the stage, so that the placing of the sleigh upon the track can be performed easily and rapidly and always at the proper moment. Since, moreover, the attendant is not compelled to cross the track for placing the sleigh upon the same, the manipulation is effected without the least danger for the attendant. The improved arrangement therefore offers the best security that in case of necessity it will still be possible to put the braking-sleigh on the track at the very last moment without incurring any danger. This stage, placed outside the track, can at the same time serve for receiving the sleigh when out of use and for holding the same.

The two iron bands 11 and runners Z) are connected together by means of the bars a and d in such a manner that they can be displaced in a longitudinal direction with reference to each other. For attaining this adjustability a small clearance (shown at m) is left between the bars 0 d and their nuts, on the one hand, and the corresponding holes m of the grooved runners b and of the stays 6, through which the cross-bars have to pass, on the other hand. This clearance is so calculated as to allow only of the maximum displacement required, (about ten centimeters,) but of no greater. In this manner the possibility of any incorrect dssplacement is perfectly avoided.

In case the braking-sleigh should be employed as a locking-barrier the locking device arranged on the same is put into its operative position. This device consists of two locking-tongs 7c, each fixed to a standard consisting of an angle-bar j on the iron band a, the lower jaws of these tongs being arranged to embrace and grip the rail-heads, whereas the upper jaws can be kept in a locked position by means of a lock Z or by means of a seal and the like.

I claim 1. A railway braking-sleigh comprising runners having lateral walls one of which terminates on a level with the top of the rail.

2. A railway braking-sleigh comprising runners having lateral walls, one of said walls terminating on a level with the rail-top and the other wall extending below the same.

3. A railway brakingsleigh comprising a pair of runners each having a lateral exterior wall and a lateral interior wall, the depth of the latter being greater than the former, and a filling between said walls of a thickness equal to the depth of the exterior wall.

4. In a braking-sleigh, the combination of two runners, and means connecting said runners to permit them to be displaced in a longitudinal direction in relation to each other.

5. In a braking-sleigh, the combination of two parallel runners, braking-bars mounted thereon, and transverse connecting bars loosely connected to the runners and brakingbars.

6. A railway braking-sleigh comprising runners having lateral parallel walls of un equal depth, a filling between the walls adapted to hold one of them on a level with the top of the rail, a brake-band mounted on each runner, a transverse bar loosely mounted in the runners, stays connecting the bands and runners and a transverse rod loosely mounted in the stays.

7. A railway braking-sleigh comprising two runners each having lateral walls, one of which terminates on a level with the rail-top and the other extending below the same, and means connecting said runners, in combination with means to slide the runners transversely of the rails.

8. A railway braking-sleigh comprising two runners each having lateral walls, one of which terminates on a level with the rail-top and the other extending below the same, and means connecting said runners, in combination with transverse members on which the extended walls are adapted to slide.

9. A railway braking-sleigh comprising parallel runners each having a lateral exterior wall terminating on a level with the railtop, a flange on one of said walls at right angles thereto, an interior wall projecting below the exterior wall, and means connecting said runners, in combination with transverse stages on which the interior walls are adapted to slide.

10. A railway braking-stage comprising a runner, a brake-band mounted thereon, a standard fixed to the runner and locking members mounted on the standard extending below the runner and adapted to engage the rail.

11. A railway braking-stage comprising a pair of runners each having a lateral exterior Wall and a lateral interior wall, the depth of the latter being greater than the former, a

' frictional filling between said walls of a thickness equal to the depth of the exterior wall,

IIC

on which the interior Walls are adapted to slide, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FRANZ SCHON.

Witnesses ALVESTO S. HoGUE, AUGUST FUGGER. 

